Psychosis clinical trials at UCSF 3 in progress, 2 open to new patients

The purpose of this study is to use remote methods and scalable interactive neurotechnology to generate important data on the potential for remote targeted cognitive treatment in people with schizophrenia. The investigators will perform a double-blind randomized control trial in 120 participants with schizophrenia, comparing: 1) An evidence-based structured program of 40 hours of on-line auditory and social cognitive training (exercises over 12 weeks (-3.5 hours per week), delivered with an innovative digital application which provides users with a motivation coach to set personalized goals and with secure social networking for peer support, Personalized Real-time Intervention for Motivational Enhancement (PRIME) ; vs.2) A control condition of free-choice on-line cognitive exercises, encouraged at 3.5 hours per week over 12 weeks, delivered with a standard commercial goal-setting app, "Daily Goals".

The purpose of this study is to determine whether cognitive training exercises can improve cognitive functioning in young patients with recent-onset schizophrenia, schizoaffective, schizophreniform, and psychosis NOS who are being treated in community mental health settings. We will investigate the effects of web-based cognitive training exercises delivered on a portable laptop computer. The findings will provide us with valuable information on whether cognitive training can improve the cognition and functioning of young individuals early in the course of schizophrenia.

The purpose of this study is to drive an optimal response to neuroplasticity-based cognitive remediation in schizophrenia in order to maximize treatment response. The investigators will investigate factors that have generally been ignored in prior computer-based cognitive remediation programs—those related to social cognition-- and will delineate their relationship to motivation, functional outcome, and the neural substrates of reward anticipation and emotion processing. Current research indicates that, unless the investigators fully understand and harness these factors, the investigators will not achieve meaningful treatment gains for individuals with schizophrenia.